To Atticus, the Academy is the only home he's ever known. They feed him, train him, and give him a place to sleep; but what lies beyond the Academy has always been a mystery. The curiosity grows with age, while the training only becomes more rigorous. What was once a few obstacle courses has now transformed into grueling games with consequences of torture. Atticus yearns for the day of his departure, and on his eighteenth year the opportunity presents itself in the form of a final exam. If he can pass it, then he will be able to leave, but failure to complete it successfully will result in his death.